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editor's note

Tanya Chaitanya (Editor Femina India)

For every doubting Thomas who tells you women can’t scale mountains, wrestle in the ring, endure physical hardship, your comeback should be a simple hashtag:#StandStrong.
There’s no bigger retaliation than success, they say. So show your calibre to these detractors or anybody who believes that we, as women, lack the potential to be physically as fit as men by being just that. Not to say that it will be an easy process.
The conditioning that we are not at par physically starts early. From the time we are offered a hand to bring down the cookie jar to when we are told not to lift too heavy a weight; when the sports selectors in schools bypass promising girl children or when the male friends refuse to count us in in any serious hiking plans—that feeling of being physically less is ingrained right from the beginning.
So how is it that we witness sportswomen like Mary Kom packing a punch in the arena or a badminton champ like PV Sindhu physically pushing herself to the limits? Or the fact that celebs like Jacqueline Fernandez, Taapsee Pannu, Katrina Kaif swear by their fitness routine and are known to train for longer hours than their male counterparts?
Then again look beyond these superwomen. Look around you. There are regular women storming into male bastions, physically-challenging professions and pursuits, and coming out triumphant. This new-found confidence comes with taking care of yourself, being cognizant of the fact that our body needs to be given TLC, from the right diet and nutrition to exercise and care to help us stand strong.
This is when I raise a toast: Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them!

3 healthy pizza recipes

Pizza, whilst filling, is undoubtedly the fastest disappearing pie on your dining table. However, it is also considered as a takeout staple in many households, including mine. So you’ll be forgiven for declaring ‘think pizza, think calories’. Well, not anymore! All you have to do is try out these three delicious recipes, because not only do they save time, cut calories, are yummilicious but a whole lot healthier too!

Method1. Cover the crust with the tomato and spread the cheese over it. 2. Slightly roast the garlic and sprinkle over the cheese with the green olives. 3. Drizzle olive oil over the pizza 4. Put it in the preheated oven at 240°C to bake for 20 minutes.5. Serve hot

Method1. Make the rotis the night before and leave them out in a dry space to make them hard. 2. Use the rotis as a base. (You can use any flour for the roti). 3. Cover the roti with the tomato paste and spread cheese over it. 4. Top it with the boiled spinach and broccoli. 5. Add a dash of oregano to it and drizzle it with olive oil. 6. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 240°C.

Method1. Cover the pita flat breads with the sauce. 2. Place the cheese over the sauce. 3. Slightly roast the green chillies and garlic and add it over the cheese with the mushrooms. 4. Add a dash of the chilli flakes and a drizzle of olive oil over the pizza. 5. Bake it in a preheated oven at 240°C for 20 minutes